​Focus on the New Moon energy on Monday night. This New Moon is very potent and powerful. It comes with a robustness similar to an eclipse and is a marker for great change, the preview of which could be manifested through some major earth event or events. We have seen this beginning to happen with earthquakes and volcanic activity in various parts of the world, all related to the earth. Watch for your own internal earth event that may feel like an inner earthquake, shifting all of your priorities and values around. This new moon is both difficult and exalted with potential for great inspiration that comes with the freedom you may experience following challenging choices you have made or are in the process of making.

While stepping forward into new territory through your choices and realigning values, it is also important to bring in the quality of beauty and inspiration into the equation. Nurture yourselves in some way and have some fun despite the chaos that you may feel around you. It cannot be focused hard work all of the time. You will reap many more benefits if you take some time to smell the roses along the way and do something for yourself that represents self-care with a bit of luxury like going to a fine restaurant for a meal or treating yourself to a massage. And if you are in the process of purging the old, bring in something new that is an upgrade in the area of beauty and inspiration.Blessings,Lena

New Moon is a big day for Taurus! Yes, the Moon and Sun conjunct here, and at the moment of New Moon reset, Uranus is still in Aries at 29º59’ (hanging on by a fingernail so we get some last minute wisdom from Aries). More significantly, some three hours later, Uranus changes signs moving into Taurus for seven years. Uranus, that bringer of disruption, change, revolution, and innovation, was last in Taurus in 1935 ~ the birth of Social Security and a time of big adjustments on the material plane for many.

Taurus’ focus as an Earth sign is on the physical plane: materiality, money/finances (borrowing and lending/your earning and spending capacities), what you truly value, your own worth, the body’s senses, and the Earth itself (nature, farming and ecological concerns). Taurus rules the neck, throat and lower jaw and all associated to those areas like singing, beards, sore throat, tongue, voice, nape of the neck, cervical vertebrae, and thyroid gland. Taurus’ rulership by Venus makes this a very personal and feminine sign and appreciative of beauty and pleasure and brings art/artists and music/musicians under Taurus’ rulership, as well as fashion, fabrics and the decorative arts – how we make our environments and ourselves more sensual and alluring. Thank you, Venus!

With new emphasis being placed on Taurus by outer planet, Uranus, let’s acknowledge Taurus as the power sign of the Earth element. There is great fixity here as in all the power signs-one for each element (Taurus for Earth, Scorpio for water, Leo for fire and Aquarius for air). All fixed signs bring solid, enduring, tenacious qualities to bear in their lives and can persevere and persist (push) bringing their ideas into manifestation. So, imagine The Bull as the symbol of Taurus with its strong neck and ability to dig in its heels, its love of security, stability and routine, its love of the pleasures of life, and its need to be productive while building wealth and value combined with the nature of Uranus as The Liberator, bringing down the old forms, inventing new ways of social interaction, embracing chaos and disruption deemed necessary and you have yourself a volcano! Vinegar and baking soda! An irresistible force meets an immovable object! Earth changes and eruptions are possible, monetary/economic shifts, opening up of body expression, healing of our issues of unworthiness and materiality, and embracing our feminine, earthy power.

Uranus can further expand our Taurean power of manifestation by wedding intention and visualization. As we perfect our abilities to create on the invisible levels first, opening the fields of abundance, we can then welcome effortless manifestation on the physical levels. Spirit will be pleased at our mastery of this skillful use of the mind.

With Venus as ruler of Taurus, she will have an influence on this long transit of Uranus (7 years) ever changing as she moves from one sign to another every few weeks. We will explore and develop all the facets of our self worth creating and attracting with our magnetic, Venusian energy. At this New Moon, Venus is in Gemini and within a degree of Pallas Athena, Warrior Queen, an additional influence for creative, strategic wisdom and the ability to create our own reality with our goddess-given creative intelligence.

[As an aside, I nominate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the Pallas Athena Award after seeing a film, “RBG”, about her life trajectory – an example of 50 years of strategic thinking for equal rights.]

Mercury, our guide of the mental realms and shifter of our perceptions, aligns closely with Uranus at New Moon. Uranus is considered the ‘higher octave’ of Mercury. (Much like Neptune is the higher octave of Venus and Pluto the higher octave of Mars bringing in high frequency, collective/transpersonal energy to these personal planets.) Our mental abilities are ripe for an upgrade especially as Uranus switches signs into Taurus. Perhaps it’s more like a downshift as we can more easily quiet our mind and ground our thought processes and access our breath in the center of our bodies.

Mars is at 29º43’ Capricorn; 29º of any sign is especially powerful and endowed with the consolidated energy of all that has come before. With Uranus at 29º59’ Aries, we have an exact square (a stressful aspect precipitating crisis and the opportunity for shift). Confrontation of the personal and the societal is possible ~ your cultural programming vs. your personal freedom. Maybe you add a new family member and your responsibilities significantly shift, or you decide not to take the job you ‘should’, but opt for the freedom of pursuing the work you feel intuitively ‘called’ to do, or perhaps you feel impelled to participate in a tangible way in the ‘politics’ of your profession, neighborhood or country. Be mindful of working consciously with confrontation and resistance where it presents itself ~ whether you create it within or outside your self. Uranus also has the capacity for genius and original, eccentric ways of looking at situations. Make an opening and invite this part of yourself to have a voice.

The finger pointing to the way out of this face off with Uranus square Mars is Mars’ trine to the Sun and Moon in Taurus ~ a wonderful, generous aspect just looking for a place to lend tangible results. The Earth sign brotherhood of Taurus and Capricorn defuse conflict by putting their hands in the soil and their feet on the Earth. Use these two Earth signs to get practical, make a plan, and start taking whatever size steps you can down the path of a more abundant container for yourself. You have to start the process. Move things around, push your boundaries, or maybe add some style and effort to your ‘look’.

Take yourself on a meditative visualization of your most beautiful, perfect garden as a symbol for your seed sowing for this next New Moon cycle. Pull weeds, turn the earth, sow your ideas and desires, fertilize them with your love and watch them bloom into full abundant fruition.​All times are in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)05/20 Sun enters Gemini 8:14 PM MDT05/29 Sagittarius Full Moon 8º 8:20 AM MDT06/13 Gemini New Moon 23º 1:43 PM MDTHeads up if you’re making plans for July/August. We have three eclipses July 12-August 11 at the New and Full Moons with Mercury retrograde July 25-Aug 18.Written by Patricia Liles. Contact her at PATLILES@aol.com

Wesak Full Moon April 29 5:58 PM PST brings the Blessing of Buddha and Christ

The following are the Full Moon forecast from Lena Stevensof The Power Path School of Shamanism & Patricia Liles Astrological Notes

​Full Moon is Sunday, April 29 at 6:58PM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)This is an intense full moon with energy similar to an eclipse. It is an extremely important time to be mindful of your reactions and to take responsibility for them. If you are triggered in any way, you have an opportunity to look at those deep patterns that may be coming to the surface and work through them with focused and disciplined intention. Get help if you need it.

On the other side of this personal inner crisis energy is the support for expansion and the possibility of moving into something new and different. This is also a good day for gratitude and honor as you celebrate all of your accomplishments up to this point in your life without being attached to how they have defined you. Allow this full moon to support you in creating new intentions for redefining who you are.Blessings,Lena

Scorpio’s Full Moon gifts can be plentiful ~ alignment with the feminine mysteries, diving deep, dying to the past, finding renewal, and powerful life force energy releasing when shadowy subconscious material is brought into the light where it can be named. These are gifts we may be challenged to receive this Full Moon. Where Scorpio, Pluto and the 8th house live is where your shamanic abilities to engage the invisible world lie.

This Moon that is the culmination of all that was set in motion at the Aries New Moon is acknowledging us for the steps we have taken towards breaking free and stepping up. We have completed the first of three Mercury retrogrades in the fire signs. We are learning to honor our own divinity while relinquishing what cannot be controlled. The chart here, especially seen in the aspects, asks for significant adjustments, adaptation, regrouping to include who and what doesn’t quite go down easily, resolution of stressful situations, swallowing your pride and man upping with apologies and taking steps to act in a new way. Scorpio and Pluto are powerful medicines asking everything of you before granting the joy of rebirth.

We bow to the previous Aries New Moon as we reach culmination here at Full Moon for the experiences we have undertaken, crisis overcome and commitments we have made towards breaking free and stepping up.

The Taurus Sun and Scorpio Moon are squaring the North and South Nodes (Leo/Aquarius) within a degree forming a Grand Square in fixed signs ~ aligning all the fixed, power signs at cross purposes generally known to be a difficult array and causing stressful events. Involving the Nodes suggests it’s a growth process for us where we need to let go, draw on skills we have attained, and take steps on that edgy new path (sucking up the growing pains we encounter).

North Node in Leo is exactly conjunct asteroid Ceres, so our basic bonding with parents where our self worth has its fundamental roots is our point of growth here. How we nurture our own hearts, how we can step into the power of self love, and recognize our divine origins will measure how well we can love another as our self in another form.

The ruler of the Full Moon is Pluto, but also Mars. Mars was the traditional ruler of Scorpio until Pluto was discovered in 1930 and given rulership over Scorpio. And notably, Pluto and Mars are closely conjunct in Capricorn. Mars loves the discipline and focus of Capricorn and is exalted there. Pluto/Mars are in a special creative aspect, a quintile or 72º relationship to the Full Moon, so we have a portal, if activated by our intentions and rituals, focused on the Moon to connect deeply with the mysteries that this emissary of the feminine, water power sign Moon holds. Call up the source of your creativity, fertility, and powers to destroy what you have created in the past and dance with your ability to heal yourself from the cellular to the cosmic levels. This Scorpio Moon is rich, warm, deep and powerful asking you to go out into the night and return renewed and refreshed having touched something deep inside yourself that nourishes beyond the needs of the body.

Call on your ancestors. With Vesta, representing that part of ourselves that we hold sacred and dedicate to a higher calling, Saturn, Pluto and Mars all in Capricorn, our elders, ancestors and wise ones are waiting to be called on to support us. Mars has been given the mission of activating the powerful forces of Saturn’s discipline and experienced wisdom geometrically stronger being in its own sign as well as Pluto’s ruthless transformative force to eliminate stagnation. Call on your ancestors, your allies, your guides to stand with you at this great shifting time. Learn to ask for help. Tremendous support is available to you for the asking from the invisible world.

Earlier in this week, Pluto has turned retrograde for the next six months; it’s powerfully at standstill now at 21º Capricorn. Here is an invitation to come and sit under the Tree of Life with your own inner elder and be taught by your own inner shaman.

Chiron entered a new sign this week for the next seven or so years. Now at 0º Aries the powerful point of new beginnings, it is welcomed by Juno 0º Aries, asteroid of intimacy and committed relationship and where in weakened expression, we give away our power to another. Your intimate commitments may be under scrutiny and tested at this Full Moon. Chiron will be taking us on a new healing journey with our masculine energies symbolized by Aries. We will explore our freedom, our courage, and deepen our self-awareness. Chiron will also retrograde in a couple of months to clear up any unfinished business in Pisces. Chiron’s purpose is to transform our wounds into wisdom so we can be present for others, to mentor and teach, and to bring us into holistic alignment with our body, mind and spirit utilizing earth based medicine from the plant and animal worlds.

‘There is always help along the way’ wise ones have shared, and this Full Moon is no exception. Who shall we look to?

Saturn at 9º Capricorn offers a channel to diffuse the lockdown of the Grand Square in the fixed power signs (Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, Aquarius all 9º). Saturn trines the Sun and sextiles the Moon – both aspects of ease and opportunity. We can look to Saturn’s long view of time remembering we are moving through a long, multi-year period of major transformation here on our planet. We can lean into Saturn’s patience and propensity for order and discipline as a way to deal with the chaos that is arising – both inner and outer. With Saturn trine the Sun in earth signs, it points to getting your life in order on the physical plane, taking those steps that give you peace of mind and stability in your day to day life and free you up to move on your creative ambitions. Keep your physical body well grounded to better process the frequencies that are bombarding you and keep you out of mental spin.Mercury in fiery Aries is also in a helping position to the Grand Square created by the Sun/Moon and North/South Nodes. Mercury, our communicating and networking ally keeping us mentally objective and neutral, trines the North Node and sextiles the South Node. Here we are helped to learn new ways of communicating our truth to others, and we are able to let go of our fixed positions as we share our personal truth.

Finally, Neptune in Pisces 15º trines both the Full Moon in Scorpio and nearby Jupiter giving us the watery ruled emotional resources we need to turn this challenge of a Grand Square in to nourishment for our spiritual growth as we continue to use forgiveness, acceptance and surrender for ourselves and others. We learn with each turning of the Moon to hold our lives as a choice. Which will it be here? Crisis or Opportunity?

This New Moon marks the beginning of an accelerated time where the masculine begins to emerge as the one needing healing, attention and balance. It is only the seed being planted at this point but a good opportunity to make a commitment to support and nurture your own masculine qualities of will, clarity, intention, generosity, right action and protection.Spend some time during this New Moon envisioning your “wildest dreams” and then asking for the support of the masculine to empower their manifestation. Be generous with yourself and others and be sensitive to the right timing of manifesting those dreams.Blessings,Lena

It’s a lively Aries month of shift and change. New Moon occurs deep into the sign of Aries at 26º and almost immediately shifts of sign and direction start to launch. Most prominent at New Moon is the conjunction with the Sun/Moon of Uranus 28º, The Awakener. Eris 23º, Feminine Spiritual Warrior, Master of Discord, undaunted by consequences of truth telling, out to unmask injustice, also influences the Aries Sun/Moon closely. It’s a game-changing reset of a Moon. Uranus and Eris don’t particularly care about your personal universe; they’re more concerned about larger collective influences. And with Pluto in Capricorn targeting transformation in government, corporate and financial structures, there is no lack of chaos and disruption, restlessness with the status quo and outright awakening to the contradictions and conflict we are living under.

Through what door is change coming into your life? Contemplate what has unexpectedly presented itself and caused you to have to adapt radically and shift your comfort levels. What has been your reaction to the unexpected? What does your emotional process show you about your wiring? Open-armed surrender? Slow to accept? Discombobulated by change and new demands? Growth can often be courted, invited or dealt to you by Spirit to prod you along.

At New Moon, Chiron is in the last, last, last degree and minutes of Pisces 29º55’ where it spent seven years teaching us about compassion and surrendering and healing the negative effects of the entire Age of Pisces. On April 17, Chiron moves into fiery, courageous, Aries for the next seven years. That’s a major shift point. We will truly embrace how we create our own reality and may it be magnificent and full of energy, vitality and protective instinct. Aries, as the masculine first sign and ruled by Mars, encompasses both our vital, emergence into individual selfhood and the mantle of the divine Warrior, champion and protector of all that is sacred and worth defending. Chiron will take us on the journey of healing our masculine selves and teaching us right use of the medicine of fire, desire and will in consort and balance with the feminine.

Mercury in Aries 4º, is stationing at New Moon, meaning it has traveled in retrograde since March 22, but now comes to a strengthening stand still and begins apparent forward motion again reaching the degree of its retrograde on May 3 when it is fully out of its shadow period. It means it’s extra powerful here. We have encountered experiences in the last few weeks that have us defining ourselves in new ways. We are living more easily in the moment, trusting Spirit, and enjoying the creativity of the new. Aries carefree, joyous experience of self and seeing through fresh eyes has been a gift of the season. Mercury moving direct is a signal to move forward in thought, word and deed.With Aries New Moon, Mars is ruler of the chart, and what a course he has been treading. At 16º Capricorn here, Mars is traversing some major influences this month. Conjuncting Saturn on April 2nd causing many to ask ‘where are these anger flares coming from?’ Saturn is also stationary now increasing its power as it turns retrograde also on April 17 until early September. Mars having passed Saturn is headed towards Pluto at 21º on April 26. Mars conjunct Pluto can be some ruthless, competitive energy if you don’t channel it into a useful endeavor, preferably physical. We only have to deal with it every couple of years, but it’s worth curbing your aggression in relationships unless you’re into espionage or crime. You have a major energy ball at your command. Use it wisely. Neither a victim nor a bully be.

Jupiter in Scorpio is opposite Venus in Taurus expanding the sweetness of intimacy and reminding us of the gifts of our physicality. Her trine to Mars opens the doors to passion and earthy manifestation of our desires. Taurus/Scorpio also highlights our resources, wealth, inheritances and taxes. How fitting for April 15th – a traditional tax day in the USA. Jupiter is also in positive aspect to Pluto opening us to deep transformative forces that shake our very foundations. We are more open and more awake, more aware of the cycle of death and rebirth, more conscious than ever before thanks to our encounters with Pluto.

One last thing, Saturn sits at the apex of a Finger of God formation with Pallas Athena and Ceres/North Node forming the base. The point of growth here is taking the long view, having patience, making a plan, a template where Spirit can work with you. If we can make adjustments and bring our intention and focus to bear on our ambitions, we can harness the ability of our minds to strategically visualize the outcomes we desire while harnessing the ability of our hearts to nurture and protect what we find most valuable and necessary for a connected society.

Full Moon is Saturday, March 31​at 6:37AM Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)

Being the second full moon of the month, this is another blue moon (we had one in January 2018). The theme for this moon is Balance. It is a good time to reflect on what is in balance and what feels out of balance. Practice gratitude and ask for support. Include prayers for all your relations as balance is sorely needed everywhere.

Spend some time during this moon reflecting on what needs balance in your life and then implement something to honor your commitment to include more balance in your life. The biggest one in our culture is usually the balance between being and doing, between the masculine and the feminine. This is a big theme these days and any focus you put on this issue in your own life will greatly benefit the whole as well. So where are you out of balance? Too much Doing? Too much Being? Too much negative Feminine (resentment, inertia, martyrdom, depression) or to much negative Masculine (anxiety, sleeplessness, overwork, aggression, anger, impatience)?​Look to nature for healing. Spend some time in nature and receive the healing and the imprint for good balance that nature can provide. Practice being, listening, taking more time, resting etc., if you are a too much “doing” person, and bring in more action, physical activity, projects and proactive choices if you are stuck in too much “being”.Blessings,Lena

With each cycle of the Sun through a sign we celebrate and honor the Moon receiving full impact of the Sun’s mighty rays as the Sun and Moon stand in exact opposition creating a Full Moon. With the Sun traveling through Aries now, our Full Moon is in Libra, sign of the partner, our relationships and the projections created with this intimate, personal axis of the Self (Aries) and the Other (Libra).This Full Moon will bring into intense foreground how our relationships reflect like a mirror who we are and what we are grappling with in our inner realms and projecting outwards onto our partners.There is complexity to the Full Moon: Mercury travels with the Sun and is retrograde until April 15 and not fully out of its shadow period, regaining the degree where it began its retrograde until May 3rd. It’s a time to reconsider our language and how our inner thoughts affect our vitality and self-esteem, also how we consider others when we speak and how conscious we are of the impact of what we express. And, are we giving ourselves the freedom to truly express who we are? Something to consider during the gift of Mercury retrograde in Aries.

Mars is the natural ruler of the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, where we find the Sun at this time of year. So Mars is empowered in this chart. Mars has recently (3/17) entered Capricorn where Saturn and Pluto are residing. The warrior in Mars loves Capricorn for the discipline and focus it imparts to its actions. In fact Mars is “exalted” in Capricorn and in addition, Mars is still “out of bounds”, beyond the control of the Sun, a wild card, expressing in a potentially fierce and extreme manner for another couple of weeks. More complexity: Mars is now conjunct Saturn for this Full Moon (exact April 2nd), and this pair is forming a tension/conflict-producing T-Square with the Sun/Moon axis. Mars with Saturn is known as the gas and the brakes – applied at the same time! Saturn is the old, wise responsible one full of caution and keeping eyes on the goal while Mars is the young, impetuous, rowdy one full of reckless, risk-taking behavior – full of the joyous ‘I Am’. Wherever you have Capricorn in your chart is getting plenty of drama, excavation and exposure with these three planetary heavies there. Capricorn wants us to consider and refine our goals and the direction we wish to take our life – the long view. Mars can help us with the energy we need to plow the earth for the changes we want to create. You’ll do best with the challenges at Full Moon if you have set your sights for the top of the mountain you want to attain while still maintaining balance and connection in your relationship arenas.

Capricorn also reflects your relationship with authority – both your inner integrity and outer need to follow the rules and show up in a responsible way to create strong foundational community. Masculine Mars is being challenged by the Sun and the Moon to bring its passionate drive into cooperative alignment to work together with others. The recent weekend, peaceful marches initiated by the youth of our country to accomplish what the elders have not been able to accomplish to insure safety for our citizens-young and old-is a positive example of youthful Mars working with the responsible structures (Saturn) of our society. Mars-Saturn squaring the Sun and the Moon all in cardinal signs says we need to take initiative, start a process, get things moving especially in how we express our individuality and purpose and how we grow and thrive in our relationships. Sometimes the tension of a T-Square is just what we need to improve and make, in this case, our relationships better serve who we are in this moment after so much shift and change.

Time for an update!

Venus, of course, rules the Libra Moon. Venus rules airy Libra, in her more masculine expression of mental objectivity, fair play, and negotiation as she seeks harmony in all things, and she also rules earthy Taurus, her more feminine manifestation of sensual expression, social grace, self worth and what you attract in the material world. At Full Moon, Venus has just entered Taurus (0º), so how you feel about yourself will be reflected in your personal and intimate encounters with partners, one-on-one relationships and business associates.

The Sun and Moon also form a Mystic Rectangle with the North and South Nodes. The Mystic Rectangle is made of aspects of ease and grace and opportunity to move our spiritual lessons down into our physical, every day lives. That’s a strong message (!) suggesting the mental objectivity, loving heart-felt cooperation and harmony that our Libra Moon spotlights are the evolutionary way forward for us as we learn to balance the masculine and feminine within our selves and in our relating to each other.

Watch with as much neutrality as you can hold as this relationship passion-play unfolds this week with you as a major character in the dramatization created by you, for you.

Honor the spirit of water during this New Moon. Focus on the life-giving properties of water as well as water’s ability to dissolve and wash away what no longer serves.This is an inner time of reflection and you may not feel very social or outgoing so make sure that if you are with others that they are supportive to you and your process. The nature of the times around this new moon is marked with volatility, emotion, and aggression. Stay focused on the positive and stay out of heated arguments and don’t take others negative reactions personally. We are supported during this new moon to look deep into our own personal wounding and allow as much healing as possible.​As always, a new moon (especially this one) is a good time to refine and reset any intentions you have and have been working with. Intend also for new insights to drop in as well as opportunities from unexpected sources. Anything can happen so dream it positively!Blessings,Lena

In a span of a few days we have the end of the zodiacal year with Pisces and the beginning of the solar shift of seasons at Equinox. New Moon in Pisces invites us to take a deep breath and exhale everything that keeps us separate from our own connection to the dreamtime, the Wakan, the Great Mystery. Here is the opening to take the deep dive into the Void – a deeper intelligence permeating all life. Here we are called to surrender our burdens as we are held by the limitless ocean of consciousness. We feel the compassion and acceptance of the Tao, and our own ability to forgive and accept ‘what is’ is strengthened so we may extend the same to others. There is a time for being and a time for doing. This is most definitely a time for being. We extend gratitude to receptive, watery Pisces for her gift at this most feminine of times, more so than at any other time of the year. Intuition, imagination, and the opening into awareness are at an all time high. We are supported to connect with our own inner guidance. So much is being offered for our awakening and healing and many are rising to the occasion.

Chiron (28º) is traveling with the Pisces Sun and Moon (27º) ~ a full out healing Moon of our inner most secrets and woundings. Chiron offers us the parting gift of healing our addictions and preoccupations with escapism, denial and martyrdom and helps us to open our hearts to the difficulties of our current world situation as we release it all to Earth and Sky, our Mother and Father to prepare for the new.

This Moon’s alignment is Chiron’s parting gift in Pisces as preparation is made to change signs in April into Aries moving out of a feminine, water sign and into the masculine, fire sign Aries for the next 7 years. Healing energy from this asteroid/centaur teacher-healer has occupied the sign of Pisces for seven fruitful years. Chiron has facilitated the healing of women bringing them into personal wholeness as they reveal the unspoken repression of millennium. Chiron is the bridge between Saturn, the traditional form of wisdom and discipline, and Uranus and the otherworldly, transpersonal planets. Chiron is our mentor in radical shifts of healing. The feminine wounds have been awakened and heard in Chiron’s sojourn through Pisces. Reconciliation is powerfully underway. Now Chiron is ready to bring his healing magic to bear in Aries for our brothers, fathers, lovers and our own inner masculine and to teach us the healing power of the archetypal masculine’s right use of action, protection and balance.

On New Moon day March 17, Mars, ruler of Aries, our most direct, action-oriented planet, quick to thrust, full of passion, desire and heat, will change signs and move into Capricorn where it is exalted, well placed. Mars being a very martial planet works well with the disciplined behaviors, goal oriented and law-abiding focus of Capricorn. Not only will Mars change signs, but also will be very soon after ‘out of bounds’, which has the effect of setting it free, becoming more independent, untethered and infused with a radical action and intensity. ‘Out of Bounds’ means it no longer travels along the path of the Sun as the other planets do, instead it is outside the most north or south (in this case south) path of the Sun – out of the Sun’s influence so to speak. Woo hoo! Says Mars. We’re in for a hot time now! With Mars ruling such things as sharp objects, guns, machines, the military, athletic achievement, accidents, and aggression, let’s hope the patience and diligence of Capricorn has a mitigating effect.

Mars will be in a challenging square relationship to the Sun/Moon/Chiron at New Moon. Stay calm and grounded, keep busy and avoid the heat of anger; focus your restlessness and irritability into action, drive mindfully, reflect before you blurt, soothe your liver. Mars is joining Saturn (8º) and Pluto (20º) in Capricorn until mid May meeting Saturn on April 1 and Pluto on April 26. This infuses much energy behind our goals and whatever we feel needs a radical makeover. Put these dates to good use to forge ahead with your plans. Have courage to step out and declare yourself in ways you have only imagined to signal the universe you’re ready to assert yourself to express who you are.The swell of New Moon in Pisces and Mars’ shift into Capricorn is only the beginning. Within days (March 20), the Sun shifts into 0ºAries at Equinox, a time when the Sun is equally balanced between the Northern and Southern hemispheres and a major power point of the solar year. Mercury and Venus will be conjunct in Aries brightening, sharpening and emboldening our minds and hearts.

Two days later, Mercury goes retrograde at 16+º Aries until April 15 and fully regains its former degree in forward motion on May 4th. For a thorough analysis of the Mercury retrograde period try: http://www.thedarkpixieastrology.com/blog/mercury-retrograde-in-aries-march-april-2018Aries retrograde is a time when we can observe our inner masculine and bring it into balance. We can watch the collective events in the news recognizing that the Aries, Mars and masculine energies are on display. Spirit has arranged for an intensification of events to focus our attention on the current masculine power system and how it operates.

With Jupiter in Scorpio retrograde (23º) generously trining the Sun/Moon/Chiron, our path is eased and open to understanding the larger perspective of the transformation we, as a species and a planet, are traversing. Jupiter in the sign of death and rebirth helps us own our part in the dance reflected to us from the outer world and transform it into an inclusive, cooperative expanded vision. We are the visionaries we have been waiting for.

Let yourself be called into the watery realms of this Pisces/Virgo window. Pisces is calling you to the dream state. Juno, Sun, Neptune, Mercury, Venus and Chiron are all gathered in Pisces with the Virgo Full Moon opposing the Sun to balance that poetic, dreamy state of Pisces with some practical, earth bound wisdom. The Pisces-Virgo Axis is one of service, balancing giving and receiving, being and doing. Virgo helps us adapt to new circumstances whether they are new expansions or new limitations. Virgo is the Queen of analyzing the current environment or resources, and bringing to bear her keen discrimination of what needs to be eliminated and streamlined to refine and bring order and efficiency into her office, home, schedule, wardrobe, life.

Virgo brings to our awareness the sacred balance of body/mind/spirit. She, in her feminine earthiness, can inspire you to shift your health habits and your thinking about healing in a quantum way refining and focusing your self-healing and self-renewal abilities. At Virgo Moon you can show deep respect for your miraculous body with movement, dance, yoga, stretching, working out as a prayer to its magnificent service to you.

Call on your Virgo Queen to bring all your disparate parts into working order, to reorganize your health and diet habits as well as your work, day-to-day routines, the clutter that keeps you from being efficient and orderly and on your game. So what if Virgo is a bit overly fastidious, detailed and just can’t help setting the bar high, use it at this Moon to regroup and get organized. You will feel so good about your accomplishments in the material plane.With so much planetary emphasis on Pisces, Virgo is going to have a time of it, pushing us out of our dreamlike frame of mind where we are occupied with letting our desire nature move us into union with the ethereal realms.

What we want is dissolving all boundaries like the ocean, merging with the soup of consciousness and letting our batteries run on intuition and imagination. We’re busy creating our own internal movies and creating the new outcomes we want to experience in the material world. Creating on the material plane with the water element requires first envisioning and then infusing our vision with strong feeling and emotion. Pisces is so sensitive, empathetic, and imaginative that she is supremely capable of creating outcomes on the material plane via the astral and does not relish being disturbed during her reverie, while deeply immersed within her artistic expression or when calling up her powerful healing abilities. Pisces helps us surrender our attachment to the physical plane so we can better access our soul’s intention and guidance from the invisible world.

Virgo at one end of the axis is about the details of life, that mental capacity to preconceive outcomes and consequences. Virgo is about the harvest, reaping what you have sown, and that one who counts the stores and parses out the resources so there will be enough to get through the winter/lean times thus preserving the community. Neutral Mercury now in Pisces rules the Virgo Full Moon with Mercury and Venus conjunct.

Jupiter, in water sign Scorpio, is trining Mercury/Venus. We are lent support to go deep and willingness to release what has been unconscious and holding us in separation from our artistic musings, from deeper acceptance of the unique and powerful soul we are. If your mind and head talk are holding you at arms length from self acceptance of all that you are, take up Jupiter’s offer to free you from the psychological skeletons that you are dragging into the arena of new opportunities. With so much Piscean support, Mercury can help you surrender mentally and use your feminine, water nature to guide you into union with that which is greater than self. One teaching indigenous people embody and share in their rituals and daily lives is the ability to turn over guilt, burdens and sufferings to higher power ~ a profound and simple act that western cultures seem to lack and therefore, unnecessarily carry physical, mental and emotional loads in their daily lives. Use this Full Moon to surrender your heart, your mind, your burdens to Great Spirit, Mother Earth, Father Sky. Your task is not guilt or suffering, but gratitude.

Neptune is well placed in Pisces in its own sign from 2011-2025, FYI. We haven’t experienced ruler Neptune in its own sign of Pisces for 165 years. Oil is a big theme under Neptune rulership, but so are the oceans that I sincerely hope we can clean up in our remaining eight years. Oil wells were first drilled in the USA when Neptune was last in Pisces and now we are developing alternatives to the oil industry. The huge Deep Water Horizon B P oil spill in the Caribbean took place within months of Neptune entering Pisces. The film industry is also ruled by Neptune with its glamour, illusion and escapism it mirrors Neptune’s underbelly perfectly. Beware the negative pole of Pisces that is addiction, self-deception, denial and self-undoing. Also, ‘Spiritualism’ became popular in the 1860’s in the previous cycle where speaking to the dead through a medium thinned the veils separating this reality from the invisible world (even President Lincoln participated in séances at the White House after the death of his beloved child), and in the current cycle, a significant part of the population is experiencing spiritual awaking and understanding of themselves as spiritual consciousness. Pisces is considered the most spiritual of the signs endowed with compassionate love, forgiveness and the capacity to merge with the divine.

There is just one day of the year when the Sun conjuncts slow-moving Neptune (March 4) and it’s exact just four days after this Full Moon. The Sun will amplify contact with our inner and mystical guidance, as well as amplification of the dream state, and watery and creative conditions we have been experiencing since the mid February solar eclipse when Venus, Mercury, and the Sun started moving into Pisces with Neptune and Chiron. A magical boundary-less time diminishing on March 6 as Mercury and Venus move into Aries together, and we begin preparing for the energized movement of Equinox and the fiery, masculine qualities of Aries on March 20.

Solar Eclipse falls in a celebratory week with Mardi Gras on the 13th, Valentine’s Day on the 14th, partial solar eclipse on the 15th, and Chinese New Year on the 15th-16th. This Aquarian partial solar eclipse visible in southern South America, most of Antarctica and the southern most Pacific and Atlantic Oceans bookends the eclipse period of big change and shift begun at the Total Lunar eclipse in Leo on January 31. Whether you are under the light of the eclipse or not, it effects the whole planet, you included. New Moon is always a reset moment; an eclipse heightens that dynamic. What is closing for you and what is now beginning? That is worth a moment of reflection as all the focus (thank you Saturn in Capricorn) that has gone into determining how we want to create and manifest our selves, our lives, our world in new ways while releasing the old are beginning to pay off for those who have really honed and worked with their intentions.

An Aquarius New Moon brings us the blessings of a power sign in the AIR element lending us mental clarity, the detachment and perspective to rise above and see the big picture beyond our own personal center and consider where are the needs for healing social change that will be more inclusive. Aquarius rings the bell of our revolutionary energy. Freedom is the foundation of Aquarian’s need to be self-reliant. Aquarians need room to be innovative, to express their individuality and eccentricities. Aquarian energy is not personal, but it is social and friendly, inquisitive and experimental. Aquarius is a fixed sign, so they tend to have very clear boundaries. In the negative pole they can be thoughtless, even fanatical and unreasonable, and eccentric beyond the beyond and into the weird.

Because of their modern rulership by Uranus, they can be the most eccentric of signs. The planet Uranus, discovered in 1781, the decade of revolution, proletariat rebellion and democracy, actually rotates perpendicular to all the other planets in our solar system. Now that’s eccentric! That fixed mental quality can also be attributed to their traditional ruler, Saturn, which gives them admirable integrity and dedication to TRUTH and IDEALISM. Uranus also brings in a scientific bent and the brilliant creativity of genius to all they do. Aquarius is a master at creating on the visionary astral planes, turning it over to Spirit and watching it manifest on the physical planes. The high frequency energy of Uranus gives true visionary perspective as well as access to energy medicine like Reiki, hands on healing, acupuncture, sound therapies, etc.

In this New Moon chart, Mercury and asteroid Juno, goddess of committed relationships, are conjunct the Sun/Moon. Our mental faculties are up for a reset. Mercury is the Messenger and gatherer of information, the Networker, governing how we think, communicate, teach and learn. Our thinking includes our versatility and adaptability, how we reason, and the symbols we respond to and use. Mercury relates to our need for exchange, how we interact in our day-to-day commerce with clerks and neighbors. Mercury rules our nervous systems, a complex electro-magnetic information processor connecting us to our environment in so many ways we are just beginning to understand. Time for some reframe in the form of conceptual, high frequency thinking reform. A progressive, intuitive use of the mind is called for here. We’re in the shift to a new dominant frequency/paradigm and here is the portal to aid and revamp our reasoning, conceptual base and language use. What do you hear yourself saying that points to the ideology of your past? What is your commitment to shifting a mental habit detrimental to you moving forward in manifesting your intentions? It takes about three weeks of discipline to change a mental habit. New Moon is the perfect time to begin.Because Juno is within 1º of the New Moon, our communication and mental constructs around our marriage relationships, partnerships, business associations (often very committed; their outcome determines your outcome and vice versa) can benefit from an upgrade. Are you willing to deconstruct your most stressful situations that erupt into power struggles? Inequality is a major focus and issue for Juno. She doesn’t like to be disrespected. She was, after all, Queen of Heaven prior to agreeing to be Zeus’ (Jupiter’s) wife. Juno in Aquarius is going to make you sort for room to be free and express your individuality within a relationship. Juno here is way outside the traditional with all matter of couplings accepted if they have integrity and are in alignment with the agreements made. Juno in Aquarius opens the door for experiencing NOT being in a committed relationship and learning about that freedom.

Mercury and ruling planet Uranus are in a positive aspect to each other (sextile 60º) helping us on our New Moon revamping mission of our mental, communication and visioning habits. It’s an open road full of opportunity to be better versions of our current selves that we all want, and an eclipse period gives added power to that desire.

I also see a Finger of God, a triangle focused on Ceres in Leo, that Earth Mother energy so prominent at last Full Moon, with Venus in Pisces and Saturn in Capricorn forming the base and offering us stability and structure for our social relationships, our intimate relationships, our finances, and Ceres brings in empowerment for self worth, self nourishment and the link to Mother Nature as our ally. A Finger of God always requires some adjustment and integration of parts and experiences that don’t quite flow with ease, but when it gets in alignment you have access to some magnificent Grace ~ your life becomes a catalyst for synchronicities, opportunities and the poetic and imaginative to express through you.

Following the eclipse mid month, the personal planets will begin shifting out of mental air sign Aquarius and into emotional water sign Pisces. Venus has already moved on the 10th into Pisces, Mercury follows on the 17th right before the Sun moves into Pisces for a month on the 18th where they all will join Neptune and Chiron. All planets are direct now until March 8th when Jupiter will retrograde in Scorpio, so it’s a time of movement, progress, and a forward-looking cycle. Those of you who are sensitive may feel the shift into the new water element some five hours after the eclipse as the Moon shifts into Pisces giving a taste of the shift of the Sun into Pisces on the 18th.February is a funny month with no Full Moons of its own as January had two, on the 1st and 31st and next Full Moon is on March 1st. Use this progressive Aquarian influence to move on the new templates that are forming in your mind.

We begin eclipse season with a dramatic Super Moon and a total lunar eclipse ~ Leo would have it no other way! Super Moon means closest to the Earth and measurably bigger and brighter. Amplified! With Leo as ruler of the heart and upper back, the best medicine here is to open and fill your heart with these moonbeams. We are opening to love in magnificent new ways and breaking down the old walls of separation with all the growth we have done in the past. Leo is the fixed, fire sign of the zodiac and a sign of (power + love) = one.

Both Aquarius and Leo have to do with individuality. Aquarius, fixed air and a universal/collective sign, wants to reclaim its uniqueness from the collective programming of parents, family, and culture, and the detached nature of the mental signs is instrumental in this need to be its own expression. Leo, on the other hand, being a personal sign is about embodying individuality by radiating and expressing the royal ‘me’. ‘I am this one!!!’ And none can express with such confidence, warmth and generosity as Leo, The King of Beasts!

We have not only a Super Moon, but also the opening eclipse on the Leo/Aquarius continuum. We will come to value this fire/air axis as the year progresses, because the water and earth signs will predominate. Fire gives inspiration, enthusiasm and positive forward-looking frames to all we do. Air gives us perspective, clarity, flexibility and mental detachment. Without their gifts we get too bogged down in our day-to-day lists and emotions.

To have an eclipse, the Sun and Moon must be aligned with the North and South Nodes. Here we have the South Node aligned with the Sun and Venus – an opportunity to let go of all those times we felt we weren’t loved the way we thought we should have been loved. In Aquarius, we can look with some real detachment at the events of our lives, acknowledge the experience, let that old loved/unloved story go and put on our big-girl britches and move on. Aquarius Sun/Venus can help us move in to the modern moment of now, push the boundary, and live in an entirely new headspace where we ARE love.

The lunar eclipse at Full Leo Moon is aligned with the North Node – our edgy point of growth at this time, and exactly conjunct Ceres – Earth Mother, agricultural goddess, Nurturer and giver of unconditional love. Ceres nurtures her children of the Earth through her fertile fields. Along with deep nourishment and fertility, we learn self-love from Ceres and how to nurture ourselves and those around us. Many food-related, parent child relationships (separation or attachment) and parenting issues are associated with Ceres and may rear their heads during this time frame. Mother and nurturing issues go deep and eclipses are known to reveal and release that which is hidden. Eclipses are times of endings and new beginnings, closings of the past and openings to new paths.Ceres is also the midwife to the cycles of birth and death so evident in agriculture and the seasons. Ceres/Demeter (Mother of Persephone) also brings an element of grief, loss, and separation along with rage and disempowerment that is an aspect of the feminine reawakening. It’s Eris and Uranus, ruler of the Aquarius Sun, that turn the outrage into feminine warrior action.

Eclipses are 19-year cycles. They are our change barometers. We evolve as we are pushed to realign/reset to the cosmic forces as the nodes march around the zodiac spending 18 months in a sign affording us new lessons and growth. A lunar eclipse pushes into the resetting of the emotional realms. With Venus and Ceres opposed and aligned with the Sun and the Moon respectively, our personal values, relationships, aesthetics, and ability to nurture our self and others will come prominently into focus. As the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, and the Earth blocks the light at eclipse, we feel the shiver and release into emotional truth.

Reflecting back on our pasts 19 years ago and these themes of love, nourishment, growth, creativity, abandonment, and parental relationship, what have been your experiences, what has ended, what desires to be born?

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, Imbolc Feb 1-2, a cross quarter day, marks the midpoint between winter and spring, also Ground Hog’s day. A time when the seed awakens and begins to stir under ground, the light of day begins to lengthen enough to notice. The seeds we have planted move towards the light.

Venus is now obliterated by the bright light of the Sun as she moves from morning star to evening star, soon to be seen in the western sky in February – something to watch for next month as you look west after sunset. So beautiful!

As we complete this eclipse cycle at next New Moon in mid February with a partial solar eclipse, take time to open to the insights, experiences and clarifications offered you, then make adjustments to your goals, your relationships and your ability to receive and express more from your newly opened heart for the next 6 months until we move into the next eclipse cycle in July.

All Times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST)02/15 Aquarius New Moon/Solar Eclipse 27º 2:06 PM MST02/18 Sun enters Pisces03/01 Virgo Full Moon 11º 5:52 PM MST03/11 Daylight Savings Time begins (USA)Eclipse most visible in China, Australia, Pacific Ocean and Western USAWritten by Patricia Liles. Contact her at PATLILES@aol.com

2018 begins with a dynamic month filled with two Full SuperMoons on the 1st and 31st, Uranus going direct, Mercury coming out of its shadow period after retrograde, Jupiter and Mars together, and a lunar eclipse January 31st. This first New Moon of the year in Capricorn is fertile ground for honoring, tracking and refining your intentions to move along a new path. New Moons are times to plant a seed and cultivate its growth. With Sun, Moon, Venus, Pluto, Mercury, and Saturn all in earthy, active Capricorn and no planets retrograde in this chart, you are on a launch pad and in the hands of a master creator in the middle world/material plane ~ so much trustworthy, reliable support.

You are also planting your intention seeds for the two and a half year journey of Saturn through Capricorn. Saturn in its own sign is like Saturn squared. Imagine you haven’t seen this revered master in nearly 30 years at this place in your chart. He has returned.

When you are finished with your initiation and training by Saturn in the next several years, what do you want to have accomplished?

Those that know the answer to this question way down in their bones will come out the other side in December 2020 with a grin on their faces, the new found strength of focused application of the will and the heart, and the rewards of methodical building in the material world. One of our major purposes now is learning to bring our spiritual legacy down into our physical, daily, middle world lives. We’ve been to the underworld and know our shadow areas; we’ve been to the upper worlds and touched into Spirit, now our task is to bring that powerful knowledge into fruition in the physical world.

Capricorn rules the bones, the foundation of the body, where our stability comes from and where we store our most ancient patterns. Capricorn’s mission as guardian of the community is to preserve stability, to build on what has gone before, to protect and increase. Capricorn strives for perfection on this plane conquering the mountain one step at a time like the sure-footed goat it is.

Saturn, Capricorn’s ruler works to strengthen our resolve and skill with his tests and challenges. He’s the kung fu master of the zodiac, and this is his New Moon cycle of the year. Saturn likes to test your limits to make sure you learn the value of discipline, perseverance and responsibility yet remaining adaptable so as not to calcify, and become dogmatic, grim and forbidding. Saturn’s presence enables you to hold more access to the higher frequency, collective, transpersonal planets – Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and beyond.

Venus is within 1º of the Sun/Moon. She is invisible now as the light of the Sun is so magnificently powerful. She is ‘in the underworld’ traversing between her time as morning star moving to become the evening star. Her journey began in early December, and we will not see her again until mid February. Nonetheless, her yearly presence in Capricorn is in the form of the Wise Woman, The Abuela, The Elder. She takes the long view. She guides us to ask, ‘what are the consequences of our actions, what do we aspire to as a community, how do we insure what we value persists and grows?’ We are feeling spring loaded and ready to bring forward our most skillful and experienced self. We have access to focus and discipline in our new year’s regimes of health, prosperity and gaining authority over our unproductive distractions.

Venus will change signs the day after New Moon moving into Aquarius just two days before the Sun also moves into Aquarius bringing some much needed air element into our planetary influences. We have no planets in air signs in the New Moon chart; we can lack perspective, flexibility and we can feel stuck in a rut without resilience without the balance of air.

Pallas Athena, Uranus and Eris, that powerful trio is challenging the Sun/Moon/Venus precipitating crisis in our relationships, in the way we conduct our business, in the rules we break, in our ideas of what is ethical behavior, in standing up to address disempowerment and hypocrisy. Athena and Eris, feminine warrior goddesses, are guiding Uranus to shatter what has gone before. This has been an ongoing influence for months that really centers on Eris that doesn’t move much and Uranus, the first outer planet to connect with her since her disruptive discovery in 2005. Pallas adds additional support for the disempowered, the artistic ones, the energetic healers, political strategists, and activists. She issues the proclamation, ‘this will STOP NOW!’ and Uranus and Eris are there to back her up with radical shift and the chaos that change creates. This radical energy is precisely squaring the New Moon and we shall see what it next precipitates culturally beyond the Hollywood Golden Globes display of solidarity….​I know this is long, but I have to mention Ceres, Earth Mother Goddess of the Grain, is exactly conjunct the North Node in Leo 14º. This will also be active in the lunar eclipse of Jan 31st as well. North Node is our point of growth. Ceres rules parent bonding or lack of, the development of our self worth (those two might be related) as a basis of all further relationships; she’s the midwife of birth and dying and renewal; she is the fertility goddess of the Earth cycles of nature and the food that it provides; she holds the grief or rage of loss and disempowerment. With Ceres in Leo, we are learning to parent ourselves and express our hearts as an offering to others – big lessons for the upcoming eclipse period beginning now at New Moon.

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FULL MOON IN CANCER – Plus a sneak peek at 2018 according to astrology & numerology January 1, 2018 by Anne Reith

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​As I do at the beginning of each year, I will cover (1) the current Moon Update, (2) an overview of any major events that are coming up astrologically in 2018, and (3) the year 2018 from a numerological perspective.

I hope that 2018 is a year filled with peace, love, and laughter for all of us! Happy New Year!!

Full Moon in Cancer

In the Pacific Time Zone, the Moon will be full at 6:24 p.m. on Monday, January 1. With this Full Moon, the Sun in Capricorn will be in opposition (180°) to the Moon in Cancer. To further clarify how this Full Moon will impact you on a personal level, locate 12° of Capricorn and 12° of Cancer in your birth/natal chart. The issues associated with those two houses are going to be most impacted by this Full Moon’s presence.

As usual, the challenge with each Full Moon is to determine if we need to make any adjustments between the qualities of the two signs involved so we have a healthy balance. This time, the two signs involved are Cancer and Capricorn, which both carry a serious energy. Cancer is focused on family, home, and emotions. The emphasis with Capricorn, on the other hand, is on career, accomplishments, and responsibilities. Other ways to look at Cancer compared to Capricorn include private versus public, home versus work, and emotional security versus social accomplishments.

Balance is key here. If we lean too far into the realm of Cancer, we could be stuck in our past and/or too fearful to leave our home base. If we over-emphasize the Capricorn energy, we could become domineering, controlling, and insensitive to the emotional needs of others and/or ourselves. There needs to be a healthy give and take between these two ends of a teeter totter. If we manage some form of equilibrium, we can tap into the innate intuition of Cancer to guide our next steps out into Saturn’s “real” world. But after spending time “out there,” we need to remember to occasionally pull into our Cancerian shell in order to process what has been happening and take care of ourselves. This self-care will give us the energy we need to go back out into the world again and be successful. It’s finding a healthy working relationship between these two opposites that will lead to emotional well-being and external accomplishments.

We are being given some wonderful support during this Full Moon in the form of a water grand trine (i.e., equilateral triangle) involving the Moon in Cancer, Neptune in Pisces, and Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio. All four of these planets are in water signs, which tells us that emotions and our intuition will be involved. The free-flowing trines indicate that we should be able to easily tap into both of them, and all the powerful energy of Scorpio is telling us that we could experience deep healing, personal evolutions, and forward movement toward our dreams. Therefore, trusting our intuitive sense of what is right for us will likely be key.

Having Mars conjunct (0°) Jupiter within this grand trine is a wonderful way to start off the new year. Luckily, its influence will last for the first 2 weeks of January, so we will have time to enjoy it. This combined energy of two powerful planets will help us feel courageous, strong, enthusiastic, and ready to take chances (especially if those risks might lead to expansion in some arena). And the water grand trine is providing us with a healthy emotional balance. The only possible pitfall would be if we overdo it and/or take such big risks that we find ourselves running back into our Cancer-based homes and locking the doors against the perceived danger “out there.” So once again, balance is key. Yes, we may be inclined to take risks, but they need to be reasonable risks.

But overdoing it or being unrealistic is not likely because the Moon in the grand trine is in an opposition (180°) not only to the Sun but also to Saturn, Venus, and Pluto, all of which are located in the super-realistic sign of Capricorn. It is likely that changes we want to make will be reasonable, responsible, pragmatic, and grounded in reality. However, with a predominance of Capricorn energy swirling around us during this Full Moon, it will be important to remember to share this time period with watery, emotional Cancer and not become overly controlling or rigid. The counterbalancing effect of Cancer is also present to help us remember that “family” is available and we don’t need to go it alone, which is a typical shadow expression of Capricorn. “Family,” in whatever way we define it, is often available to support us, but we do have to allow that help into our lives.

Adding fuel to the desire to change is Uranus moving out of retrograde and going direct on Tuesday, January 2. While in retrograde during the past five months, Uranus has been having us look inward at what needs to change in our worlds. There may have been internal shifts to prepare for this change or there could have been actual planning involved. We are being given the green light to make those changes public. With Uranus, this may involve some information coming to us from “out of the blue” that helps us make sense of something that we have been struggling to figure out.

Two positive aspects on Saturday, January 6, will help us continue our forward momentum into 2018. Mercury will trine (120°) Uranus, bringing new insights and unexpected gains. We will be very intuitive, and creative solutions may suddenly come to us. Additionally, the conjunct (0°) between Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio (described above) will be exact today, which will increase our energy and enthusiasm to go after whatever we are passionate about. However, later in the day, a square (90°) between Mercury and Chiron might bring up self-doubts, but only if we allow the voice of our inner critics to get too loud. If we start noticing that we are overthinking something, it’s probably best to “take a chill pill.” Or better yet, focus on an activity that would benefit from the Mars-Jupiter conjunct in Scorpio (e.g., energy, enthusiasm, passion, transformation).

Then on Monday, January 8, we will experience another series of aspects that will provide wonderful support to the beginning of this new year. The Sun will sextile (60°) Jupiter, Venus will sextile (60°) Jupiter, and Mars will sextile (60°) Pluto. Put these all together and we will increase our awareness of what brings us meaning in our lives. We may also find support from unexpected places, and/or we will find ourselves suddenly energized to take the next indicated step on our spiritual journey. The next day (Tuesday, January 9), Venus will sextile (60°) Mars and the Sun will sextile (60°) Mars, opening the door to positive relationships and possibly even romance. However, it is important to remember that many of these aforementioned aspects are sextiles. Sextiles are a gift but can be easily ignored, so we need to consciously recognize their potential power and take advantage of them when they occur.

But, before we make any long-term commitments, it would be wise for us to wait until Wednesday, January 10, when Mercury enters responsible, earthy Capricorn. It will remain in this sign until February 19. Mercury enjoys being in Capricorn. Our thinking will become more methodical, logical, and pragmatic. It also supports us in organizing projects. But when Mercury is in Capricorn, we are definitely interested in the bottom line and what is “real.” We may even use this time to dive into a new subject and study it intensely. As mentioned above when we were discussing Capricorn’s energy, the only true warning is that we need to be careful not to become so rigid that we become insensitive to the feelings of ourselves or others.

Overall, this a very powerful Cancer Full Moon with a plethora of supportive aspects to help us start off the new year in a positive way, if we choose to take advantage of them. Forward momentum is definitely indicated! It is very likely that we will need to be courageous and take some risks in order to accomplish our goals. We do need to remember, though, that we can’t take too great a risk because that could trigger the crab to scurry back into its shell (i.e., home base). Or if scared and unable to retreat, the Cancer energy has also been known to lash out with those claws. Therefore, slow, measured steps out of our comfort zones would be better than a huge leap. This is all supported by the powerful water grand trine, which is reminding us to feel our emotions and not question intuitive insights. Luckily, there are four planets in opposition to the moon, and all are in Capricorn, which will ground us and help us be patient.

Major Astrological Events of 2018 We will be talking about all of these astrological events in much more detail as the year unfolds, so this is just a sneak peek at what is coming up. It’s a very powerful year astrologically!

Mars and Venus will both be going retrograde during 2018, which is an opportunity for us to reevaluate where we want to put our energy (Mars) and our hearts (Venus).

Just last month, Saturn began its 3-year visit to Capricorn. During 2018, the full impact of Saturn in Cap will start coming to “fruition,” the meaning of which we discussed in the last Moon Update.

Uranus has been in Aries since 2011, and it will enter Taurus beginning in May 2018. Uranus moves slowly, so it will remain in Taurus until 2026. This could bring about unexpected changes to financial structures in our personal lives and in society.

Also in May 2018, Chiron will move out of Pisces and into Aries, where it will remain until about 2027. Chiron has been in Pisces since about 2010, so this will be another a big shift. It will likely mean taking courageous steps toward healing our inner wounds.

Finally, we will have five (not the usual four) eclipses during 2018, the first of which occurs on January 31. Eclipses always offer us opportunities to “reboot” our level of consciousness, like when we “reboot” our computer after adding new software.

Overall, 2018 will very likely be a period of transition and transformation in which many areas of our lives will experience shifts – personally, societally, and globally. To a certain extent, this year is just “prep work” for a major astrological event coming up in 2020. At that time, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto will all be conjunct (0°). Some astrologers are referring to this as The Great Conjunction because it hasn’t happened since 1284-1285. But adding fuel to the fire is the fact that all 3 planets will be in opposition (180°) to revolutionary Uranus. Some of the predictions include moving toward more emphasis on ideas over materialism. There may also be huge technological breakthroughs, especially in the field of energy. Other astrologers think this is a time when those who have been out of power will rebel and demand that their needs be met, which would move humanity toward a more spiritually-based oneness or unity consciousness. But there is nothing to be frightened of in all of this. As with all astrological events, knowing about it in advance provides us with power to deal with it effectively.

Numerology in the Year 2018For those interested in numerology, 2018 is a 2 Universal Year (i.e., 2018 = 2 + 0 + 1 + 8 = 11 = 1 + 1 = 2). Everyone on the planet is influenced by the energy of the Universal Year number, so it is a subtle, collective experience. I once heard it described as the “landscape” through which we are all driving.

In numerology, the influence of the Universal Year number is believed to fade during the last three months of the year. Therefore, by January 1, 2018, many of us may have already started to experience the waning influence of the 1 Universal Year and are beginning to feel the energy of a 2 Universal Year.

1 Universal Years (2017) are analogous to the planting of seeds. The seeds won’t be fully grown until the next 9 Universal Year (2025). During 2017, we got to decide what crops we wanted to start growing in that fertile soil. During 2 Universal Years, we typically close the pace down and spend time developing relationships with like-minded others who will support the growth of our crops.However, 2018 isn’t just a 2 Universal Year; the calculation also includes the number 11, which is a Master Number in numerology. Some numerologists don’t think that Universal Years should always be reduced to a single digit, while other numerologists acknowledge the Master Number adds an extra “emphasis” for the Universal Year. I personally find that both 11 and 2 are important.

Particularly this year, including the Master Number 11 in this interpretation makes sense when looking at the astrological indications for 2018. The Master Number 11 adds a level of intensity and spiritual purpose. It is considered the Master Number of the “Master Psychic,” so this will be a year with an undercurrent of spirituality, intuition, creativity, and even healing. The single digit 1 is about leadership and self-confidence, and the double number 11 indicates that this is even more true. So it is likely that each of us will be called to take the lead in a certain area of our lives, and we shouldn’t avoid doing this.

We will likely feel pushed to do more, do better, do, do, do . . . and all the astrological events mentioned above support this. So yes, there will probably be more focus on relationships and collaboration. . . but lots of it. And yes, there will likely be communication going on . . . but lots of it. And we will be called to be patient and supportive . . . often!This could actually be a frustrating year in some ways. We may feel inclined to push ahead and create, but obstacles and delays may come up that force us to slow down and pay attention to the needs of others and ourselves. (Remember, our primary relationship is with ourselves!) It may feel like a “hurry up and wait” year, which can be very infuriating at times.The solutions include:

The 2 Universal Year tells us to come from a place of love, to focus on cooperation and collaboration, to always do our best to respond with grace and diplomacy, and to never neglect our emotions or the emotions of others.

It will be helpful to remember that any delays or challenges are meant to make us stronger and point out where there are flaws in our foundation. Avoid falling into a victim mentality.

We need to remind ourselves that Master Numbers ask us to master the energy of the single digit and help/teach others the qualities inherent in that energy. With the Master Number 11, that means leadership, spirituality, and intuitive knowledge.

NEW MOON IN LEO & TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE​– The Great American Eclipse of 2017 August 21, 2017by Anne Reith

​In the Pacific Time Zone, the New Moon will occur at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, August 21. This New Moon finds the Moon and Sun in conjunction (0°) at 29° of Leo. To further clarify how this New Moon will impact you on a personal level, locate 29° of Leo in your birth/natal chart. The issues associated with that house are going to be most influenced by this New Moon’s presence.

It’s here . . . the Leo New Moon and total Solar Eclipse that we’ve been waiting for! This is both an astronomical event and an astrological one.

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Astronomically, a solar eclipse occurs when the shadow of the Moon passes in front of the Sun, blocking out the Sun’s rays. Due to the trajectory of the orbits, not all solar eclipses are total, but this one is. It also has been referred to as the “Great American Solar Eclipse,” because the total eclipse will be visible from Oregon, across the continental USA, and all the way through South Carolina. It has been 99 years since those in the USA have been able to see a total Solar Eclipse. This is why many are flocking to areas where they can visually witness this event.

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Astrologically, all eclipses are times when the interruption in the flow of the sun’s rays onto the earth plane is believed to provide an opportunity to recalibrate our level of consciousness, much like rebooting a computer when it needs an upgrade. The geographic area where the eclipse is visible is believed to be most impacted by the effects of the eclipse. Significant personal and societal events are historically more common and more intense under the path of the eclipse, correlating with times when some doors close and new doors open. However, the impact of any eclipse may not be immediately apparent. Although major events can occur at the time of the eclipse, the true impact of each eclipse is cyclical and difficult to predict because it will unfold over the next 6 months and, to a broader extent, over the next 19 years.

This is the second consecutive Leo New Moon. The first Leo New Moon occurred on July 23 at 1° of Leo, and this second New Moon on August 21 occurs at 29° of Leo. When we have back-to-back events like this, the first one often correlates with an introduction (1°) to the new energy and the second ushers in a culmination or completion (29°) of this energy. The 29th degree is referred to as the “critical degree” of a sign. It’s a time when we are asked to master the qualities of that sign in order to reap its benefits.

Each eclipse is believed to amplify all of the effects of the sign in which it occurs. However, this Leo New Moon is like Leo energy on steroids for several reasons:

Not only are the Sun and Moon in Leo, but so are Mars and the North Node, and all four are located within 8° degrees of each other. This forms an astrological configuration called a stellium, which makes for a powerhouse of Leo energy. Having Mars in the fiery sign of Leo gives us the courage and energy to go after what we want, and the North Node reminds us that where we move should be into new territory. There are many of us who will feel a need to take action; but given Leo is all about love, it will need to be action that is heart-centered and not based on self-centered needs or aspirations. Due to other aspects, it may be that we will seek ways to attain a better balance between the power inherent in the masculine and in the feminine. Consequently, in one or more areas of our lives, we may experience a softer, gentler type of power becoming the norm.

This Leo New Moon is also conjunct (0°) a fixed star called Regulus, which is often described as “The Heart of the Lion.” Given the Sun and Moon are in Leo (the sign of the lion), their being conjunct (0°) with Regulus greatly amplifies all the Leonine themes of leadership, creativity, passion, love, confidence, and idealism. But all eclipses also have the potential to bring out the shadow or lower expression of the sign involved, which in this case would be drama, egotism, childishness, self-centeredness, attention seeking behaviors, arrogance, and tyranny. It is time for each of us to (a) look carefully at how we have been expressing the Leo energy in our lives and (b) determine if we need to make any course corrections.

Luckily, the Leo stellium and Regulus are all part of a grand trine (equilateral triangle) with trines (120°) to Saturn in Sagittarius and Uranus in Aries. Grand trines represent a very positive, supportive flow of energy, and this one is occurring in fire signs (i.e., Leo, Aries, Sag). Fire energy gives us energy! If we have recently felt stuck in an area of our life, this may get us moving forward. With Saturn being part of the grand trine, any actions will likely be well-thought out, strategic, and responsible. And given Saturn is currently in Sagittarius, our actions will likely be ethical and move us in the direction of our goals and aspirations. But with Uranus in the mix, we need to remember to “go with the flow” and not fight any unexpected events or changes that come across our path. Given the free-flowing energy of the grand trine, it is unlikely that we will resist. However, if we do notice any resistance, it will help to remember that these events are Divinely orchestrated to bring us closer to our heart’s desires and the next step on our spiritual journey.​At the time of the New Moon/Eclipse, the Sun and Moon will be in an awkward 150° aspect to Chiron. This aspect is called an inconjunct (AKA quincunx), and the key word associated with it is “adjustment.” We do need to find ways to freely express all this Leo energy, but it needs to be in a manner that supports and doesn’t compromise our ongoing efforts to heal our own core wounds. This may require some adjustments in our lives, such as learning to trust ourselves at a deeper level and/or believing that we really do have something unique and important to give to others and to the world around us. It may also require us to look carefully at whether we are attached to Leo’s need for melodrama or attention-seeking behaviors. Finally, this aspect tells us that we need to be careful not to allow our vibrational rate to be pulled downward by focusing on the negativity and fear in the world around us. Instead, we need to serve as a source of Light, much like a lighthouse serves as a beacon through the darkness for ships during a storm.

NOTE: For those who haven’t yet had a chance to read the blog post I channeled a few years ago, here is the link: Darkness cannot exist where there is Light and advice for Lightworkers. This powerful message was provided by the Council of 12, and it is still very timely and provides many valuable suggestions regarding how we, as Lightworkers, can help when difficult events are occurring around us.

Just a little warning about the time period around the Leo New Moon/Eclipse: When you combine the powerful energy of the Eclipse with so much fiery energy, this could be a time when we experience (or witness in others) impatience, impulsivity, over-confidence, irritation, anger, recklessness, and even accidents. Some recommendations would include choosing positive outlets for any excess energy (e.g., exercise), avoiding any important decisions for a few days, and postponing any difficult conversations until another time when we can be sure that we are speaking from the heart and not our ego’s needs.

During all of this, it’s important to remember that we have Mercury, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Chiron in retrograde. As mentioned in the last Moon Update, this means that some of the changes we are thinking about may still be in the planning stages. And as mentioned previously, the effects of this Solar Eclipse will likely take time to unfold. So we should remember to breathe, observe what is happening, and trust in Divine Timing and Divine Order in all things.

The good news is that we don’t have to wait too long before action becomes more likely. On Friday, August 25, Saturn ends its 5-month retrograde period, which began on April 5. If we look back to when Saturn went retrograde, it is likely that we will likely see several areas of our lives that stalled or were blocked. Although very frustrating for many of us, astrologically this was an important time period. The projects we were thinking about at that time needed time to establish a firmer foundation upon which to build our future endeavors. Given Saturn was retrograde in Sagittarius, this time period may have included revisiting our belief systems, ideals, and even our goals. We may have also had to look carefully at where there were weaknesses, both inside and outside us, that might have sabotaged our efforts. In a bigger sense, this retrograde period provided us with an opportunity to remember that all happens at the Divinely Ordered time, and sometimes delays really do work to our advantage. If we’ve done the work of this retrograde period, we will finally be ready to make positive progress on some of those previously thwarted projects or business plans (or perhaps completely revamped goals).

Two days after the New Moon/Eclipse (Wednesday, August 23), the Sun will move out of Leo and into Virgo. Virgo is an earth sign, so this will calm down a little of the fiery energy and support us in making grounded decisions that will express our inner Light. If we’ve felt a little distracted recently, this next month should bring us down to earth and help us get organized. Our focus will shift from the forest (big picture) to the trees (details), and we will be ready to take care of all those very practical concerns that we’ve recently been putting off. This may not always be fun, but taking care of all this unfinished business will likely provide a great sense of accomplishment and free up our energy. We just need to be careful to not become overly critical of ourselves or others while the Sun is in Virgo. Remember to carry-over the lessons learned from all the recent Leo energy and come from a place of love and acceptance.

In addition to Saturn moving direct on Friday, August 25, Venus will move out of Cancer and into Leo that day, where it will remain until September 21. Venus loves being in Leo because they are both about love. We will likely feel warmhearted and generous, which will help counter-balance the sometimes critical nature of the Sun in Virgo. But Venus in Leo can get stuck in the romance stage and not see a relationship as clearly as we should. We also can be too extravagant with our finances, so it’s wise to think twice (or thrice) before making a big purchase. But it’s an excellent time to be adored, pampered, and receive validation or acknowledgement.

The next day (Saturday, August 26) is a mishmash of energies. The Sun will be in conjunction (0°) to Mercury in Virgo, and Mars will form its exact conjunction (0°) with the North Node in Leo. The Mars-North Node conjunction does increase our desire to make an impact on the world in some way, but given Mercury is still in retrograde, our words may sound great in our heads but won’t seem to come out right. It may be best to just think things through today and form an action plan that will be better initiated the next day (Sunday, August 27) when a sweet sextile (60°) between Jupiter and Saturn will give us the optimism and motivation to take positive action toward our goals.

Overall, it is likely that many of us will feel the effects of this second Leo New Moon and total Solar Eclipse, although the true impact may unfold slowly over the next six months, especially for those living in the continental USA. Only in retrospect will we see how much our lives have changed. We are being called to embrace the highest qualities of Leonian energy, such as leadership, respect, dignity, poise, and heart-centered love. Wherever and whenever we can, we need to provide steady heart-felt leadership, have the courage to project our loving power outward, and serve as a beacon of Light and positivity to those around us. When we have a choice, it is best to move away from any drama, because that will bring down our vibration and inhibit our ability to provide our gifts to the world. Astrology tells us that we always have free will and can choose how to use the energies, and this is a time when we need to stay centered and courageously take full responsibility for our choices and actions. But keep in mind that we don’t need to be perfect. When we slip back into a lower expression of Leo’s energy (e.g., ego-based behaviors), our job is to love and accept ourselves, learn any lessons inherent in the “slip,” and get back on a positive path as quickly as possible. And we also need to use the same approach when those around us “slip.” Staying away from blame and focusing on love is the lesson inherent in all this Leo/Eclipse energy! So remember, “Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.” (Mother Teresa)